Rhinebeck town government
The Town Supervisor and the Town Board
A New York State Class 2 Town in Dutchess County, Rhinebeck is governed by an elected Town Board that consists of four councilmembers, each serving four-year terms, and a town supervisor, who is elected for a two-year term. The Town Board serves as the executive and legislative arms of the Town government and is assisted by the Town Clerk, who is the administrative arm of the Board. The Supervisor presides at Town Board meetings and is also the Town's Chief Financial Officer, responsible for the Town's budget; the Supervisor is assisted by the Bookkeeper.
Other Elected Officials
Town judicial functions are served by the Justice Court, which consists of two town justices who are elected to four-year terms. One other Town function is overseen by an elected official: roads, which are the purview of the Highway Superintendent, who heads the Highway Department and serves a two-year term.
What You Pay Your Elected Officials
The current yearly salaries of the above offices are: Supervisor $20,000; Councilperson $5,573; Assessor Chairman $11,140; Assessor $9,721; Highway Superintendent $55,682; Town Justice $13,160.
Other Town Officials and Employees You Pay
Other Town functions are performed by paid officials appointed or hired by the Town Board. These include: the Assessor (note that the Assessor also serves as assessor for the Village of Rhinebeck and the Rhinebeck Central School District); the Town Clerk and Deputy Clerk; the Tax Collector and Deputy Tax Collector;the Registrar of Vital Statistics;the Fire Inspector;Code Enforcement Officer (a/k/a Building Inspector); the Zoning Administrator (a/k/a Zoning Enforcement Officer); the Prosecutor; the Maintenance Supervisor; and the Dog Control Officer. The current budget, which is linked on the home page, shows the salaries of these individuals as well as other Town employees not mentioned here.
Volunteer Boards and Committees
Important Town functions are also handled entirely by volunteers, appointed by the Town Board, who serve alone or on boards and committees. There are: the Zoning Board of Appeals; the Planning Board; the Board of Assessment Review; the Conservation Advisory Board; the Recreation Committee; the Cemetery Committee; the Ethics Board; the Workforce Housing Committee; the Historic Structures Committee; the Town Historian; and the Aging Committee. The Town is always seeking volunteers to serve on these committees. If you are interested please fill out this form and mail or email it to the Town Clerk.
Emergency Services
The Town contracts with three volunteer fire companies--Hillside, Rhinecliff and Rhinebeck--to provide fire and emergency services in the Town. The Town does not have a police department and instead contracts with the Village of Rhinebeck Police Department and the Dutchess County Sheriff for road patrols and coverage on an as-needed basis; the Town also receives services from the New York State Police. The Town Board appoints two volunteer Emergency Service Coordinators, who consult with and advise the Town.
Other Town Services
The Town runs, jointly with the Village, a recreation park that includes a pool, tennis courts, a playground, a basketball court, a baseball diamond, a community garden, and a network of wooded and open-field walking trails. The Town also runs a Summer Camp and a swim team for school-age children at the recreation park. For seniors, the Town sponsors a gaming day at Town Hall as well as a limited van service to help seniors do their shopping. And, for when you are all done with the rest of it, the Town also has a cemetery, which is overseen by an administrator and a caretaker with assistance from the volunteer Cemetery Committee.
What is this Village of which we speak?
The Village of Rhinebeck exists as a wholly separate municipal entity the borders of which are entirely within the Town of Rhinebeck. The Village is its own separate taxing jurisdiction, and has its own elected government, court, administration, employees and website. All residents of the Village are also residents of the Town and as such pay Village and Town taxes, and vote in Village and Town elections. Residents of the Town are not residents of the Village, and do not vote in Village elections, nor pay Village taxes. The Town contracts with the Village volunteer fire department to provide emergency services to some, but not all, of the Town. The Town also contracts with the Village Police Department for limited police services in the Town. The Village water department serves a limited number of Town residents. The Recreation Park is partly in the Town and partly in the Village and is run pursuant to an Intermunicipal Agreement between the Town and the Village. Currently, the Town's Justices are also the Village's Justices. The Town Hall is in the Village, across the street from the Village Hall. The Village Highway Department is in the Town and the Town Highway Department gets its water from the Village. Confused? Welcome to New York State!
A New York State Class 2 Town in Dutchess County, Rhinebeck is governed by an elected Town Board that consists of four councilmembers, each serving four-year terms, and a town supervisor, who is elected for a two-year term. The Town Board serves as the executive and legislative arms of the Town government and is assisted by the Town Clerk, who is the administrative arm of the Board. The Supervisor presides at Town Board meetings and is also the Town's Chief Financial Officer, responsible for the Town's budget; the Supervisor is assisted by the Bookkeeper.
Other Elected Officials
Town judicial functions are served by the Justice Court, which consists of two town justices who are elected to four-year terms. One other Town function is overseen by an elected official: roads, which are the purview of the Highway Superintendent, who heads the Highway Department and serves a two-year term.
What You Pay Your Elected Officials
The current yearly salaries of the above offices are: Supervisor $20,000; Councilperson $5,573; Assessor Chairman $11,140; Assessor $9,721; Highway Superintendent $55,682; Town Justice $13,160.
Other Town Officials and Employees You Pay
Other Town functions are performed by paid officials appointed or hired by the Town Board. These include: the Assessor (note that the Assessor also serves as assessor for the Village of Rhinebeck and the Rhinebeck Central School District); the Town Clerk and Deputy Clerk; the Tax Collector and Deputy Tax Collector;the Registrar of Vital Statistics;the Fire Inspector;Code Enforcement Officer (a/k/a Building Inspector); the Zoning Administrator (a/k/a Zoning Enforcement Officer); the Prosecutor; the Maintenance Supervisor; and the Dog Control Officer. The current budget, which is linked on the home page, shows the salaries of these individuals as well as other Town employees not mentioned here.
Volunteer Boards and Committees
Important Town functions are also handled entirely by volunteers, appointed by the Town Board, who serve alone or on boards and committees. There are: the Zoning Board of Appeals; the Planning Board; the Board of Assessment Review; the Conservation Advisory Board; the Recreation Committee; the Cemetery Committee; the Ethics Board; the Workforce Housing Committee; the Historic Structures Committee; the Town Historian; and the Aging Committee. The Town is always seeking volunteers to serve on these committees. If you are interested please fill out this form and mail or email it to the Town Clerk.
Emergency Services
The Town contracts with three volunteer fire companies--Hillside, Rhinecliff and Rhinebeck--to provide fire and emergency services in the Town. The Town does not have a police department and instead contracts with the Village of Rhinebeck Police Department and the Dutchess County Sheriff for road patrols and coverage on an as-needed basis; the Town also receives services from the New York State Police. The Town Board appoints two volunteer Emergency Service Coordinators, who consult with and advise the Town.
Other Town Services
The Town runs, jointly with the Village, a recreation park that includes a pool, tennis courts, a playground, a basketball court, a baseball diamond, a community garden, and a network of wooded and open-field walking trails. The Town also runs a Summer Camp and a swim team for school-age children at the recreation park. For seniors, the Town sponsors a gaming day at Town Hall as well as a limited van service to help seniors do their shopping. And, for when you are all done with the rest of it, the Town also has a cemetery, which is overseen by an administrator and a caretaker with assistance from the volunteer Cemetery Committee.
What is this Village of which we speak?
The Village of Rhinebeck exists as a wholly separate municipal entity the borders of which are entirely within the Town of Rhinebeck. The Village is its own separate taxing jurisdiction, and has its own elected government, court, administration, employees and website. All residents of the Village are also residents of the Town and as such pay Village and Town taxes, and vote in Village and Town elections. Residents of the Town are not residents of the Village, and do not vote in Village elections, nor pay Village taxes. The Town contracts with the Village volunteer fire department to provide emergency services to some, but not all, of the Town. The Town also contracts with the Village Police Department for limited police services in the Town. The Village water department serves a limited number of Town residents. The Recreation Park is partly in the Town and partly in the Village and is run pursuant to an Intermunicipal Agreement between the Town and the Village. Currently, the Town's Justices are also the Village's Justices. The Town Hall is in the Village, across the street from the Village Hall. The Village Highway Department is in the Town and the Town Highway Department gets its water from the Village. Confused? Welcome to New York State!